The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-05-05
TOO LATE.

"Wlll you go away, anu let me dle
in peace?'
cannot die in peace while your iniquit-
GUS will exists. Destroy that, make
one that gives Mary her rightful in
heritance, and will go away, to the
other end of the world if you will.
"And leave me TO the servants?"
mot unless you desire it. Uncle
Hugh, dear; dear uncle. do listen to
mer'
How can help it? Here you have
me, nailed to my armchair, unable to
leave it, and you keep up one eternal
song tltat is never out of my ears"
s'Because ! cannot take what you
would give me, and Mary will never
take it from me. You have no right to
will it to me. 1t is hers"
..Hers, indeed! 1t is mine"
..But how did it become yours?
Your wife, Mary's mother left you her
entire fortune. Do you suppose she
would have done so if she had not
trusted you so entirely to do what was
right by her child?"
..Mary had no business to marry a
man l hate"
Eyes, she had, if he was the man she
loved"
81 hate him." was the fierce reply,
.'as | hated his father years ago. You
ask me too much, Robert, when you
ask me to make a rich man of Stephen
Hallett's son. You do not understand
how for years that man, my trusted,
confidential friend, was using my faith
in him to undermine my business and
work my ruin, because-the woman he
loved loved me! Had guessed that il
was his son Mary would meet at her
Aunt Maria's, / would never have con-
sented to her going to Birmingham.
And when it was too late to influence
her, ] gave her the choice between
Walter Hallett and her father, and she
made her own selection"
'But tyranny should not go beyond
the grave. You may live for years,
but beg you to let your anger die
syhen YOU do. 1t cannot harm you, in
the grave, to let even Stephen Hallett's ;
son have the money that ought by
every right to be Mary's."
Il will not! | never will! 10
.awayr
He was so fierce, so excited, that
Robert obeyed him, and went to his
own room. He was not young man
something over forty-this cham
piOn of his cousins right, never was he
| a rich man, although SO anxious to
throw away handsome legacy But
he was good man, one who went
over to the Highest for strength and
guidance; and he loved his cousin
with the love that was stronger If 1t
comes late in life. He had hoped his
love was returned, for the pretty win
ming maiden of ten years before, then
just stepping from girlhood TO woman
hood, had given him the frank, tender
affection of sister. But another had
won Mary Bradley's heart, and while
her father raved over her infatuation
for her lover, Robert wakened from his
dream of happiness.
! 1t was the story SO often told, OF
| child who, having had every whim
/ gratified from infancy, having been
spoiled, petted, indulged in the most
tlifiing wish, is suddenly crossed in
the strongest desire of her life. That
her father should say mo" to her never
entered Mary Bradley's mind, until she
read the furious reply that answered
Walter Hallett's manly letter of love
and request for fathers sanction to
| his engagement. 1t had been many
I years since the breach between Hugh
Bradley and Stephen Hallett, and the
young men knew nothing of any form,
er intimacy. The grave had closed
over his father while he was but child
and no record of the friendship be-
trayed had come to him, If it had
he would have been told the other side oi
| the story, that Bradley had won away
Stephen Hallett's promised wife, fol
she was actually engaged to Stephen
when her heart turned traitor to hel
word, and her loye was given to Hugl
Bradley.
Then, in hot revenge, the deserted
lover used the confidence reposed il
him, and brought pecuniary ruin on hi
old friend, SO crippling him that ht
lost courage, and was willing. wher
his debts were paid to give up al
business and live on his wife's income
And not until Mary had given hel
love past recall was the old wrong
brought forward to hurl at her lover
They were young, in love and hoped
for forgiveness, and so one sunshiny
morning they stepped through thu
open church door, and came out, maj
and wife.
1t may have been, had Hugh Brad
lev interfered little sooner, he nigh
have gained his will. But when HI
told his daughter to make her choice
between her father and her lover, tina
lover had been Mary's husband for ;
week and no thought of leaving hin
was possible.
Her father went abroad, not return
ing until an incurable disease sent hin
home TO die. Robert Bradley answered
his letter, imploring him to come ant
live with him in person, nursed hin
faithfully, gave him sons devotion
and never ceased importnnipg him t